Battery lifting and carrying device



March-31', 1942. L. c. H'ELMENSTINE 2,277,976

BATTERY LIFTING AND GARRYING, DEVICE Filed May 22, 1940 zhvenar Patented Mar. 31, 1942 UNITED STTES PATENT FFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to lifting and carrying devices and more particularly to an improved lifting and carrying strap for storage batteries.

One object of my invention is to provide a safe and strong battery lifting and carrying device which is adapted to readily accommodate itself to battery posts of different diameters.

Another object of my invention is to produce a device which is simple in construction, efficient in operation, and inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of my invention is to produce a device which will not cut the hand of the user when carrying storage batteries.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a battery lifting and carrying device in the form of a flexible strap having terminals at each end for gripping the posts of a battery, the terminals being self-adjusting under the'weight of the suspended battery to firmly and securely grip the posts in order to obviate the danger of accidental release of the posts and consequent dropping of the battery.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description. It is, of course, to be understood, that various changes and modifications may be made in the precise embodiments shown without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification and throughout the several figures of which like reference numerals are used to designate like parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the manner in which my device would be employed in engaging the posts of a, storage battery;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of my device;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail view showing one end of my device engaging a post of a storage battery, and

Figure 4 is a front view of one end of my device.

In the accompanying drawing it will be observed that the battery carrier of the present invention comprises a flexible handle lifting and carrying strap ll preferably formed of rubber, leather, webbing, or other suitable strong material. This flexible handle strap is preferably made from a material which possesses sufficient rigidity to maintain an upright curved position when my device is placed in position on a storage battery. The particular design of my battery carrier makes it possible therefore to leave the battery carrier in a ready-to-carry position at all times and obviates the necessity of adjusting the carrier each time the battery is set down.

The handle strap I I may also be made adjustable so that the battery lifting and carrying device of my invention will fit different sizes of storage batteries. The adjustable feature of the strap may be accomplished in a number of ways. For example, the strap ll shown in Figure 1 may be cut in the middle and a conventional type of buckle and strap arrangement aflixed thereto, or a snap or pin fitting may be employed. Various other ways to accomplish this end will also readily suggest themselves, such as a wooden handle with sockets on each end to receive the divided strap, or a friction plate arrangement through which the ends of the divided strap pass.

To each end of the flexible handle strap II a terminal gripping device, designated generally by th numeral I2, is secured by fastening means I3 comprising rivets or the like. The terminal gripping devices I2 are similar in construction, and, therefore, a detailed description of the terminal gripping device illustrated in Figures 2 to 4 will impart a definite understanding of both terminal gripping devices. This terminal gripping device essentially includes the bottom plate member 14, the top plate member l5, the link member l6, and the actuating member l1, all of these parts being operatively connected together, as will presently appear, to provide a unitary assembly.

The bottom plate member l4 and the top plate member l5 are respectively provided at their outer extremity with an opening l8 of sufficient- 1y large diameter to loosely embrace a battery post of maximum diameter when the openings l8 in the top and bottom plate members are made to register. The opposite rear corners of the lower plate member l2 are, respectively, provided with looped extensions I 9l9 which serve as opposed hinge elements for the actuating member H as will appear hereafter. The top plate member I5 is provided with channels 20-20, made by rolling under the opposite edges of said top plate member as is clearly shown in Figure 4. The channels 2li-2ll of the top plate member serve to encase and guide the bottom plate member M which is fitted into and slides along the said channels. The rear portion of the top plate member I5 is provided with a looped projection 2! which is moved by the actuating member H to provide positive gripping action for securely holding the battery terminal and which also acts to retain link member IS in operative position, all as will more clearly appear hereafter as this description proceeds.

This actuating member I! comprises a substantially triangular shaped piece with a long double base 22 between which is secured an end of the strap H as appears most clearly in Figure 3. The actuating member may be secured to the ends of the handle strap H by any suitable means such as rivets I3 or the like. At the bottom of the base portion of the triangular shaped actuating member are formed lugs 2323 on each side of said base portion. These lugs 23 have holes therein and form bearings for the connecting pin 24 which secures the bottom plate member M to the actuating member ll. Link member it serves to connect the top plate member IE to the actuating member ll, thus enabling the top plate member l when desired to be shifted rearwardly after it ha been moved forward to the gripping position by the contact surface .25 of the actuating member H, this construction being clearly shown in Figure 3.

Manifestly when the battery lifting and carrying device of my invention is applied to a storage battery as shown in Figure l and the handle strap ii is moved upwardly as in the lifting of the battery, the actuating member I! will rotate about the connecting pin 24 thus causing the contact surface 25 of the actuating member ll to press against the looped projection 21 of the upper plate member Hi. This action causes the upper plate member If; to move forward and to powerfully clamp the battery terminal post 25 against the walls of the openings 18. Thus, the Weight of the battery itself serves to secure the terminal gripping device 12 all the more tightly upon the battery terminals 26. To release the terminal gripping device l2 from the battery terminals 25 it is only necessary to relieve the carrier of the Weight of the battery and place the handle strap H in a horizontal position, this action causes the actuating member I? to revolve around pin E l in the opposite direction forcing link it to move the plate member l5 rearwardly so that openings It in the top and bottom plate members are brought to register thus assuring the maximum opening. The terminal gripping device l2 may then easily be lifted off and removed from the battery terminals 25. One of the many features of my device is that when the battery is set down and the handle strap II left in normal curved position as is shown in Figure l, the battery carrying and lifting device will remain in fixed position in the battery terminals so that it is always in a ready-to-carry position unless purposely removed from the battery by actually placing the handle strap 1 I in a horizontal position.

While I have specifically described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that in practice such changes or modifications may be made as fairly fall within the scope of my invention as claimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A lifting and carrying device for batteries comprising an adjustable flexible handle strap, a pair of terminal gripping members connected thereto, each of said terminal gripping members comprising a bottom plate member and a top plate member each having openings at their outer extremities of sufiicient size to loosely embrace a storage battery terminal, said bottom plate member having looped extensions at its opposite rear corners which serve as opposed hinge elements, said top plate member having a looped projection at its rear extremity and channels at its outer edges to serve as guides for said bottom plate member which fits within said channels, an actuating member of substantially triangular shape having a contact surface on its forward side and lugs on each side of said base portion, said lugs having openings therein, a pin connecting said actuating member and said bottom plate member by means of the looped extensions on the bottom plate member and the lugs on said actuating member, said connecting pin being so arranged that lifting the handle strap causes the actuating member to revolve around said pin and move forward the top plate member, and a link member connecting the actuating member to the looped projection on the rear extremity of the top plate member.

2. The combination in a battery lifting and carrying device, of an adjustable flexible handle strap, and a terminal gripping member at the end of the strap, the terminal gripping member including a top plate member, and a bottom plate member each having openings at outer extremities of sufficient size to loosely embrace a storage battery terminal, said bottom plate member having looped extensions which serve as opposed hinge elements at its opposite rear corners, said top plate member having a looped projection at its rear extremity and channels at its outer edges to serve as guides for said lower plate member which fits within said channels, an actuating member of substantially triangular shape having a contact surface on its forward side and lugs on each side of said base portion with openings therein of suificient size to take a connecting pin, a pin connecting said actuating member and said bottom plate member by means of the looped extensions on the bottom plate members and the lugs on said actuating member, and a link member connecting said actuating member and said top plate member.

3. The combination in a battery lifting and carrying device, of a handle strap, and a terminal gripping member at the end of the strap, the terminal gripping member including a top plate member and a bottom plate member each having openings at their outer extremities, said bottom plate member having looped extensions which serve as opposed hinge elements at its opposite rear corners, said top plate member having a looped projection at its rearward portion and channels at its outer edges to serve as guides for said lower platemember, an actuating member of substantially triangular shape having lugs formed on each side of its base portion, a pin connecting said actuating member and said bottom plate member, and a, link member connecting such actuating member and said top plate member.

4. A lifting device for batteries comprising an adjustable flexible handle strap, a pair of terminal gripping members connected thereto, each of said terminal gripping members including a bottom plate member and a top plate member each having openings at their outer extremities of sufficient size to loosely embrace a battery post, said bottom plate member having looped extensions which serve as opposed hinge elements at its opposite rear corners, said top plate member having channels at its outer edges and a looped projection at its rearward portion, an actuating member of substantially triangular shape having lugs formed on each side of its base portion, a pin connecting said actuating member and said bottom plate member, and a link member connecting said actuating member and said top plate member.

5. A lifting device for storage batteries comprisinga handle strap, terminals at each end of said handle strap for gripping the posts of a battery, said terminals comprising a top plate member including a contact surface integral therewith, a bottom plate member, said members each including an aperture in cooperatin axial alignment with the other, a link member, and an actuating member having a cam means adapted to engage said contact surface, all of these parts being operatively connected together, said terminals being self-adjusting under the weight of a suspended battery to firmly and securely grip the posts of said battery.

6. A terminal gripping member comprising, a bottom plate member and a top plate member, each of said members having openings at their outer extremities of sufficient size to loosely embrace a battery post, said bottom plate member having looped extensions which serve as opposed hinge elements at its opposite rear corners, said top plate member having channels at its outer edges and a looped projection at its rearward portion, an actuating member of substantially triangular shape having lugs formed on each side of its base portion, a pin connecting said actu ating member and said bottom plate member, and a link member connecting said actuating 15 member and said top plate member.

LESLIE C. HELMENSTINE. 

